“Afraid so.”
I try to process. I’m about to leave town, so I’ll be able to flee any ramifications. But that doesn’t mean I like the idea. And Nicholas lives here. Whatever rumors we’ve inspired are going to stay with him, maybe for years.
“You didn’t want people to know your business,” I say. “Sorry we didn’t pull it off.”
“They definitely know a lot of our business. Someone’s sister got married and overheard us at the hotel.”
My eyebrows pop up. “Seriously? How did that make it back to the neighborhood so fast?”
“It’s only starting to make the rounds. But my friends quickly reported back to me.” He studies me. “Tell me what you’re thinking, Clay. Are you bothered?”
“Not sure. I guess I don’t give a shit if people know.” In fact, a part of me wants them to know, I realize. I really goddamn want them to know, which is strange. “I just don’t like all that attention, if that makes sense.”
“It does. And I wish I could remember what I was screaming at the top of my lungs last night.”
“You definitely saidClayandholea lot.”
He buries his face in his hands. “I did have a lot to say about my hole, didn’t I?”
I chuckle. “Aw, come here, Nicky,” I say and pull him into a hug. “We almost pulled it off.”
He hums against me. “So what? Does this mean we’re open about what we’re doing now?”
I ease back, no longer holding him close but not letting go, either. We find a way to settle in together, and my arm stays over his shoulder.
“I don’t know,” I answer. “Guess it would be weird to keep hiding when everyone knows.”
“You’re not the PDA type. I got that. But I think I’d enjoy it if we didn’t have to be totally furtive for your last days in town. It could be a relief, actually.”
Emotions wrench behind my ribs. My last days in town are approaching.
“If that’s what you want, sure. I can work with that.”
I try to say more, but I don’t know how, so I just kind of grumble to myself.
I’m as bad as my grandpa is in his journal. Nicholas is here under my arm, and I still miss him. It doesn’t make any sense.
He nods, satisfied. “Great.” Gesturing to the shed, Nicholas quickly turns his attention to work. “Harvesting roses is fairly straightforward.” He tosses me some heavy gloves, I guess for the thorns, and turns back into the shed. “With both of us working, it should go quickly!”
I pull the gloves on. “Let’s do it. Show me how you work a rose.”
His eyes dance. “You make it sound pornographic.”
I step close to take the shears he offers. “In your parents’ rose garden, of all places,” I joke, and he laughs.
He shows me how to help, and pretty soon, we’re making our way around the backyard, cutting flowers with the sun bright overhead.
Another rose scratches up my arm, and I curse and pull the branch back.
“You okay?” he asks.
“Fine.”
“I found out a bit about Jacob from Sue,” Nicholas says as he snips away pleasantly. “He used to spend time around the gay bars before he moved downtown to work at the architecture firm, the place where Himari is a partner. But he’s retiring now and wants to return to the gayborhood.”
I shove a few more roses into their little water holder things. “Guess we’ll meet him this week.”
He nods as he turns back to the roses. “It will be a full week. I’ve got some bumper crops lined up for our expansion, but I still need to track down more product if we’re going to make this flower stand work. And as it turns out, the registration fees for these festivals are even higher than the cost at the market. Plus, I need to figure out how to spread word.” He shakes his head. “I like the plan, but it feels terrifying to dump more money in the business with all the uncertainty ahead.”
